Grown Ups

Grown Ups

2010

Comedy

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 102 minutes

Directed By: Dennis Dugan

Starring: Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, David Spade, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, Maria Bello

Rating: 4 out of 10

Outline

Five grade school friends, win the final basketball game to take the championship. Many years later after growing apart, they are brought back together with the passing of their teams coach. The five friends spend the weekend together at a lake house. They share memories as their families intermingle.

Review

When you get five funny actors together,(Sandler,Rock,James,Spade,Schneider,) the recipe is usually a success. Let me rephrase that. Three funny actors and two sometimes funny actors. I will let you decide who I am referring to. This was a miserable failure and the laughs come so infrequently, I wasn’t sure who this film was trying to cater to. Adam Sandler films always have the same comedic formula and characters, but maybe this style has finally run its course. With flops such as Grown Ups, and You Don’t mess with the Zohan, he may have to try a new angle. This is just a tired approach to a comedy. The film is banking on support from its strong cast, which is shameful as people have to spend money to watch this. Anyways, the film lets you know what you are up for in the first five minutes. It starts off with a flashback of the championship basketball team, and details the five comedic actors in the leading roles. I hate saying this, but if you do not like the first five minutes of the film, it never gets any better. Years later, the 5 friends have gone their separate ways and all have these ridiculous persona’s. Instead of breaking down the movie, I will rate the five actors performances. Adam Sandler provided a couple laughs, but his role as Lenny Feder was forgettable. Chris Rock playing stay at home dad Kurt McKenzie, brings to mind what was the last film this guy was funny in? Kevin James playing Eric Lamonsoff, had his signature over the top slapstick going, which was predictable and forced. I miss Chris Farley by the way, not sure why I was thinking that right now. David Spade playing womanizer Marcus Higgins, shows that with the passing of buddy Chris Farley, his comedy style and grace died with him. Lastly, Rob Schneider who can be funny in some roles, shows up as a romancer of the elderly in Rob Hilliard. Scneider shows that being a grown Oompa Loompa is more sad then funny sometimes. Hayek and Bello were thrown in for their looks, with neither of them delivering a line that was funny. This movie tries to be funny with a combination of fart and poop jokes, and one liners that kids could write. Add this to a story that is boring and predictable, that it takes Steve Buscemi in a full body cast to get this critic laughing. The thing about the story which was so lame, was the fact these kids hold onto a grade school championship as if it is an NBA title. It takes the passing of their coach to bring them together, but in real life no one would have cared. The inevitable also happens in this, when their kids and wives cannot relate to the simple lake house, as there is no technology there. The film is just a stupid excuse to see grown men act like idiots. Director, Dennis Duncan, adds another flop to his resume which includes Beverly Hills Ninja, and Benchwarmers. He does keep the flow of this movie going, with little wasted film watching. But it takes more than a random Canadian accent joke, and some attractive women to win over an audience. All in all, this is a forgettable movie and can be skipped. With little imagination, Grown Ups seems to be written in a day by someone who is the opposite age to the title of this film.

T Factor + If you like toilet humor, and the regular cast of Sandler’s crew then this could score higher on the scale.

T Factor – If you do not like these five main actors, and like a little intelligence to your humor then this could score lower on the scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: Couples Retreat, Semi Pro.